Cold As You
by kooks27
Summary: 4 girls are captured and taken to a mansion to work as servants. Their masters are cold, heartless and will stop at nothing until the girls are completely miserable. But will these girls be the ones to melt their icy hearts? Poke,Contest,Oldrival,Ikari
1. There's No Hope For Us

**Heeeello whoever's reading! So.. thanks for reading!**

**Anyway, this is my third fanfic, pleease enjoy..**

**Oh, right, summary. **

**4 girls are captured and taken to a mansion to work as servants. Their masters are cold, heartless and will stop at nothing until their maids are completely miserable. But will these girls be the ones to melt their icy hearts?**

**I do not own pokemon...**

**AAAANDDDD NOWWWWWWWW... (Drumroll, please)**

**THE STORY!**

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**LEAF POV**

Ah, the beach. How I loved the sweet smell of the ocean and the salty taste in the air. I strolled up the pathway leading to the markets. It was Sunday morning, the perfect time for produce. I walked up the street, past all the jewelers and artists, until I reached the stalls I was looking for, the food. It all smelt so delicious and I could almost see the warmth projecting itself off the freshly baked bread. It was heaven. I made my way over to one of the many pastry stalls, taking in the scent of all the baked goods. I glanced at the shopkeeper, who was busying herself with another customer, barely noticing me at all. I smirked to myself; this could not be more perfect. One swift motion was all it would take. I searched the table for something worth grabbing; something nutritious enough for three. Then I spotted it. Right next to the shopkeeper laid a huge, round pie, big enough for seconds. I slowly started towards it, keeping my eyes wandering around the rest of the delicacies.

This was my life. I stole for my family's survival. If I didn't then we'd have passed a long, long time ago. My mother didn't work, she wasn't able. She was sick a lot of the time, and barely got out of bed. My younger brother, Silver, was always at her side, ensuring she was never lonely. It was up to me to provide the supplies. I never told how I got them, of course. That would only be upsetting. No, I was very smart about it. I always had a story behind each item, regardless of whether it was a meal, clothing or just a little something extra.

I was a thief. It wasn't exactly the most respectable title, but I got what I needed, and that was enough.

Slowly, I lifted my hands from my pockets and hung them by my sides. I stretched out my fingers, preparing for the snatch. All it took was one swift movement, which had to be perfect. If I took any longer than a quarter of a second, the shopkeeper might turn around, and I would be caught red-handed.

I eyed the pie again. I would tell Silver it was a reward. I'd tell him how I'd rescued an old ladies cat from a tree, and she had baked it as a thanks. That was pretty believable.

I lifted my hands to my face, wiping loose wisps of hair out of my eyes.

I began to lower my hands. This was the moment, what it all came down to.

My fingers just hovered in the air above the pastry. I had to move now, before I was caught. As smoothly as I could, I quickly grabbed the pie, shoving it under my shirt. I quickly examined the new look. Fortunately, I just looked like a pregnant teenager. Well, it was better than a criminal.

"Hey!" My head whipped round. It was the stall's assistant who had cried out. He was examining the empty spot where the pie once lay, obviously confused. He then lifted his eyes, locking them with mine. I should've turned and been on my way, but something stopped me; fear. The boy slowly slid his gaze from mine, noticing the bump beneath my top. I watched as his eyes widened in realization. Busted.

"Stop! Thief!"

The next thing I knew, I was sprinting for my life. I pushed my way past the countless people, bustling about in the morning rush. I turned down an alley way, in an attempt to lose whatever law force was behind me. I felt the pie slipping from my grip, so I hugged it tight to my stomach. This was exhilarating, I'd never run so fast in my life. I felt a huge wave of adrenaline wash over me; I felt so alive. As I exited the alley, I was relieved. It was clear to me that I'd escaped and was free. At this speed no one could catch me. I would return home safely, everything seemingly normal.

BANG!

I fell to the ground, the pie falling from my shirt and landing with a splat on the concrete. I squinted up at a large figure, the glare from the sun obscuring my vision.

"Going somewhere?" I husky voice asked.

I gulped. The officer I had run into leaned over, grabbing me by the arm. I tried to struggle from his grip but he was far too strong. Realizing it was useless, I soon relented as he dragged me off to meet my fate.

**MAY POV**

I couldn't believe this was happening again. I'd been telling my father for years to control his addiction, but he wouldn't listen to reason. My mother had been in a constant state of worry over those long periods in which he didn't return home. The man loved to gamble. So much so, that our family owed a great deal of money to many powerful people. Well, today it appeared as if his 'hobby', as he liked to call it, had caught up with him.

Outside our front door, there stood two men in suits. Loan sharks. I'd know them anywhere. We'd had a few minor experiences with them in the past, although back then we still had emergency savings we could use to buy them off. Sadly, this time we were completely broke.

My mother slowly made her way to the door. We all knew the drill; she would act polite, my father in the lounge, whilst my brother and I waited upstairs. It wasn't the best plan, but being prepared in this situation was not an easy task.

I watched from the second story window as the men were welcomed inside. I saw them nod at my mother in appreciation. Something told me they wouldn't be so grateful in a few minutes.

My brother, Max, scrambled over to me from where he sat atop the stairs. Max was a smart kid, and therefore saw to it that he always knew what was happening. When we'd first started cutting back on various luxuries in order to pay our debt, he had pestered me for weeks until I'd finally cracked and explained the entire situation. He'd been eavesdropping on every conversation since, just to be certain nothing happened that he wasn't aware of.

"May, what do you think they'll do this time?" Max asked me, peering up from his thick lenses.

"I don't know, Max" I replied, hugging him tight, "I don't know".

We sat in silence, listening intently for any kind of noise from beneath us. I prayed that they'd let my father off with a warning, although I knew it was an unrealistic fantasy.

"No! You can't! Please!" It was my mother's voice, the panic clear in her high-pitched scream.

Something was wrong. I carefully pried myself from the clutches of the now sleeping Max and bolted down the stairs. The first thing I saw was the overflowing tears on my mother's face, before I realized what had caused them.

It was the Loan Sharks. They had my father restrained and were leading him outside, the look on his face pure horror.

"What is going on!" I shouted out, causing all action to halt.

One of the men smirked at me, before eyeing my father.

"Care to explain what all your greediness has caused, Norman?"

This was obviously a joke, as he had already been gagged and was unable to speak. After waiting for nothing but silence, the man turned back to me and explained himself.

"Well, young girl, it appears as if your father is a no-good, filthy rat, who our boss has kindly lent money to out of the goodness of his own heart. However, as your daddy is refusing to repay the amount he owes, we have been sent to collect him and bring him to our boss's estate, where he shall work off his payment".

I gasped. This couldn't be happening. Despite his large flaws, this family needed our father, and I wasn't about to let them take him away.

"Wait!" I yelled as they continued to drag him out the door, "take me instead".

"No!" My mother tried to pull me back but I moved away from her grip.

"Take me, and I will work in my father's place. I will work for free and my family can work for the money here. When the debt is repaid, your boss can let me go".

The two men exchanged a quick look.

"Well, that sounds just fine," they both took a step forward, releasing my father, "Now, come with us, little girl".

I quickly said my goodbyes to my family, aware that I would not see them again for a long time. The men each grabbed one of my shoulders, before leading me outside to whatever life lay ahead.

**MISTY POV**

"Oh, Misty!" A voice rang out from inside the house.

I groaned, not again.

I straightened up from where I stood, bent over the garden. I turned around to face the house. The backdoor flung open and out strutted Daisy, my eldest sister. In her hand she held a long piece of paper that flowed from her manicured hand right down the ground. On her lips lay a smirk, her expression implying she would enjoy what came next.

Unwillingly, I walked over to her, dreading my next task.

She shoved the chore sheet into my hands.

"You need to clean the attic. It's disgusting up there".

I glanced at the list. The attic was only the second out of 240 jobs to be completed.

I looked up at Daisy, "You really expect me to clean the attic all by myself?"

"Misty" She said in a bittersweet voice, playfully flicking my nose, "You know that Lily, Violet and I are allergic to dust. You can't seriously put your sisters in that kind of danger, can you?"

I scoffed, "how exactly does it put you in danger? You've never even been up there!"

This angered my sister; she didn't like it when I talked back.

"Well" Her voice switching from sweet to deadly in an instant, "I don't think you can take that risk".

And, with that, she was gone, her hair whipping me in the face as she turned sharply on her heel.

"I'd be more than happy to risk it, actually" I muttered under my breath.

I loathed my sisters, and they despised me. They couldn't afford to hire a maid, as they spent all our money on themselves, and instead expected me to clean up after them.

Fortunately, all that was about to change; I had a plan. I had been planning for months how I would escape this nightmare, and I'd finally devised the perfect escape. Okay, so it wasn't exactly all that cunning, but it would get me out of here. Tonight, after everyone had gone to bed, I would sneak out of my window and run away. I didn't care where I went, just as long as it was away from here.

I snuck out as soon as the lights switched off. Thankfully, it was raining outside. The sound of the storm would cover up any noise I made in my escape. As I opened my window and began to climb down, I felt a small pinch of sadness. The truth was, although my sisters were horrid to me, they were still my family, and I was deserting them. However, I quickly shook this thought off; there was no time for regrets.

I used the vines growing on the side on the house to support me and began to climb down. When I was only a few feet from ground level, I leapt from the wall, landing in a pool of mud. I heard the thunder roar above me; my sister's would not suspect a thing.

I made my way out the front gate and onto the road. It was late and there was not a car to be seen. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and trudged down the pavement.

After hours of endless walking the storm had not let up and I found myself totally lost. I was tired and wet, with no home to return to.

I soon tripped on a large root sticking out from the dirt, landing in a painful heap on the side of the road.

I was too tired to move, let alone continue on my wandering journey, so I just lay there. I would be found in the morning and returned to the house, all my efforts gone to waste. The girls would torment me, explaining just how disappointed and hurt they were. But they'd soon be over it and I'd be back in the kitchen fulfilling their every desire. There was no point in running anymore, it was useless.

But, just as I was about to give up all hope, I saw a flashing light in the distance. A car. The vehicle drove nearer and nearer, to the point where I thought it would just zoom right past me. But, for once in my life, luck seemed to be on my side, as the motor cut off the second it reached me.

The car door opened and out rushed an old lady, her driver holding a black umbrella over her wrinkled head. She waddled over to me, her eyes covered in the darkness of the night. As she reached me the umbrella's shelter provided a welcome break from the icy rain. The woman bent down over me, her bony fingers grazing my shoulder.

"Poor thing" She stood back up, turning to her driver, "Henry, take this girl to the car. We'll take her back with us".

There was a brief grunt of agreement as the man handed over the umbrella and reached down to lift me up. I felt the ground disappear beneath me, the warmth of the dry car, and then the rush as it started up again, driving me further and further away from what I could no longer call my life.

**DAWN POV**

I hated this place. The food was terrible, the clothes smelt like mothballs, the bedchambers were dark and the masters were heartless bastards. In one word, it was hell.

But, out of all the things I hated, the one I despised most was what the place had done to me.

I used to be a caring, loving, friendly girl, but ever since I was brought to this death trap, there had been a massive change in my personality. I couldn't blame myself though, it was kind of hard to act bubbly when you were scrubbing floors all day long. In fact I was lucky I hadn't totally lost it like a few others I had come across in my years.

I'd been a servant in this mansion for nearly half a decade, a feat I was not at all proud of. All I wanted was to get out, but it'd been made _very_ clear to me that was impossible.

The only thing I could be thankful for was the other servants that joined in my daily struggles. We all stuck together and worked as a team, and could even call each other friends.

But I had to say, the place would be no where near as bad, if it weren't for those spoilt brats that we served, day in and day out. They may have been my age, but that was the _only_ thing we had in common. No matter how hard we worked or how long we cleaned, they were never pleased. Nothing was ever good enough for them, which made it impossible to work here. What was the point if we were never appreciated? Not like any of us had a choice. We were brought here by force, everyone outcasts or lawbreakers.

I didn't belong here though, I was innocent. I was only here because of my ex-best friend. Her name was Leona. We had been inseparable since birth, our parents best friends before us. I never could've imagined what she'd turn into. It was her boyfriend's fault really, he was a bad influence. By the time they started getting serious, Leona wasn't my friend anymore. It was like I didn't even know her. She stayed out late, lost the ability to be kind and began pushing everyone away. One night she climbed up through my window, attempting to persuade me to join her in a late-night crime spree. By that point I was desperate to get my old friend back, and was willing to try anything.

So, I snuck out with her and her boyfriend.

Leona told me about this gigantic mansion, in the outskirts of town. She told me how she was planning to teach the stuck-up snobs that lived there a lesson by egging the place. I disapproved, of course, but she told me I wouldn't have to be a part of it. I was assured I would only be there to keep watch. I should've known better, but I was just too caught up in the thought of having her back in my life to think of the consequences.

We arrived at the mansion before long. It was a cold, winter night and a thick mist surrounded the estate. We snuck over to a large hedge and hid behind it, Leona giggling the whole time. I shushed her and began my watch for any unwanted presences. I heard the cracking as the eggs hit the stone walls, hoping the prank would soon become boring and we could leave. I wasn't that lucky.

The entire thing was still a bit of a blur, but I remembered the noise as the guards ran out, the lights flickering on. I remembered turning around, only to find that both Leona and her boyfriend had run off without me. And I remembered the gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized the girl I used to share everything with, who had promised she would always be there for me, had left me alone to fend for myself.

So, that was that; I was caught and Leona was let off without a scratch. I'd hoped my former friend would've felt just a tiny bit of guilt for what she'd done to me, how she'd ruined my life, but I never heard from her again. Not like anyone knew where I was anyway; I was never getting out.

Well, that was my story; everyone had one, each more depressing than the last. You learnt after a while to hide your feelings; they were just considered a weakness to the masters; something to be used against us.

I sat down against my room's rotten wall, and tilted my head back to rest. I could hear the mansion doors open above me, then various footsteps making their way to the entrance of the servant's quarters. The door swung open, crashing into the frail wall beside it. I heard a few wails as the bodies were shoved down the stairs. I looked over at them in pity, piled in a heap on the floor. The new maids had arrived.

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**Chapter 2 will be goooood! (hopefully) **

**So pleease keep reading if you liked it, and also REVIEW!**

**Thankyouu, next chapter up asap!**


	2. The Pain Sets In

**MISS MEEEE? Wow I just realised have not updated anything in a really REALLY long time so, as an apology, here is chapter 2 of Cold As You :D hey, that rhymed!**

**First of all, I'd just like to thank all of the AMAZING people who have reviewed, and it was from reading the reviews over that made me want to update :) So, in short, REVIEW FOR UPDATES :D :D**

**Now, back to the story.. this chapter may confuse some people, but just trust me and go with it :)**

**If I owned pokemon you'd be jealous. but i don't. so.. **

**MISTY POV**

I awoke in a large room, sprawled out on a gigantic bed. I rubbed my eyes; that was the best sleep I'd had in a long, long time. But, then again, I bet anything beats sleeping on an old, rotting mattress in a dingy attic. Slowly, I propped myself up onto my elbows, searching my surroundings for some sort of hint as to where I now was. The room was gigantic, to say the least, the walls a soft cream color. The perfectly polished hardwood floor was slightly covered by a huge Victorian-styled rug, centered in front of the king-sized canopy bed where I now lay. Behind the red, velvet curtains, a few rays of sunshine were filtering in, allowing me to see the room's contents in a bit more detail. Every piece of furniture was handmade; carved from a rich, chocolate brown colored wood. Above the center of the room hung an oversized chandelier; the diamonds glittering in the sun's rays and projecting their light around the room. I lay there for a moment, mesmerized by the sight, before snapping out of it.

I searched my memory for what events had occurred last night. All I could remember was the pain of the tiny icicles pelting down on my skin. The rest was a blur.

I heard movement from behind the doors and watched as they swung open. An old lady entered, crossing the room and making her way to the bed. She was dressed in an elegant, lilac-colored dress and covered in various kinds of sparkling jewels.

"Oh, you have finally awaken!" She gave me a warm smile as she perched on the edge of the mattress.

"Uh, yeah," I answered, hoping I would soon find out what was going on. Luckily, the lady seemed to pick up on my confusion.

She placed her wrinkled hand over the sheets where my knee was located, "You must be wondering where you are."

**DAWN POV**

The new girls; two brunettes, both quite pretty, with absolutely no idea what was in store for them. The first brunette pushed her ash brown locks from her face and bolted to the door. I watched with pity as she took a few steps back, then sprinted at it, ramming into the cold stone with a huge thump. The door stayed shut and she fell to the ground in pain. The girl pulled herself to her feet and was about to try again before I stopped her.

"That's not gonna work."

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face me, "Yeah, what do you know?"

I let out a hollow laugh, "I've been here for over 4 years. You think I haven't tried every way possible to escape?"

"And where exactly is 'here'?" asked the second brunette, anxiously tugging on one of her pigtails.

I turned to face her, staring holes into her eyes to be sure she got the message, "Hell."

She gasped, dropping her pigtail so that it rested by her shoulder, and leant back against the wall. I saw a tear escape from her closed eye and run down her delicate face. Poor girl; I knew exactly what she was going through. And believe me, it was no picnic.

"I'm Dawn, by the way" I said, trying to take her attention from our horrible situation. She glanced up at me, before taking the hand I had offered out and giving it a slight shake.

"I'm May" She replied, pulling her hand back into her lap, "Nice to meet you, I guess."

I moved my gaze over to the other girl, "And you are?"

She halted her examination of the room and turned towards me, "I'm sorry, but is that _really_ the most important matter at the moment? I'm trying to come up with an escape plan."

"You don't get it, do you?" I stood up for effect, "There is _no _escape! You're stuck here, whether you like it or not, so I suggest that you just get used to it!"

I sat back down and watched as my words sunk in. As I waited for a reply, I began to fiddle with my so called 'uniform'. Just a dull grey dress and a stained white apron. I mean seriously, you'd think that in a mansion overflowing with money, they'd be able to splurge a little to keep their housekeepers presentable. I looked up to see the nameless girl slowly walking over and kneeling down beside me.

"Look, you don't understand. I _can't _be here, I have to go home. My family _needs_ me. I have to get out of here!" The girl looked desperate, her big blue eyes staring me down.

"It's not that simple" I tried to explain. It wouldn't help though; people believed what they wanted to believe. It was just a matter of time before they were struck with the horrible, yet undeniable truth, "They'll never let you leave".

"Wait" May's head snapped towards me, "What do you mean 'they'?"

"The masters" They both looked at me in confusion; it seemed I would have to elaborate, "The one's that rule the mansion."

"I'm not following," replied the still annoyingly anonymous one, her sapphire eyes giving off a slightly frightened appeal, despite her desperate attempts to conceal it.

"Three guys; no hearts, no compassion," I waited for their reactions. As I'd predicted, they both seemed eager, yet reluctant to hear more. "Brothers who are so utterly cruel, they will do anything to see those below them suffer. That's why you're both here, no? Because you were taken away? Because you were caught up in a situation that the more privileged would find pathetic? Maybe due to money issues, or run-ins with the law? Yeah, it's happened to all of us, and there's no way out. At least not alive, that is." I knew I sounded like a complete bitch, but hey, the truths hurts, and I had to be sure that it hit them. Hard.

At that moment there was a noise from behind the stone door as it was yanked open and yet another body was shoved into the room. Fading laughter could be heard from outside as the guards walked away, obviously finding the pain of others somewhat hilarious. I scoffed at the sound; they were no more than a bunch of assholes.

I turned my attention back to the figure lying on the ground, realizing it was a guy from his outline.

"Hey Dawn" the boy pushed his body off the ground and got to his feet.

I sighed; I should've seen this coming. "Ash" I looked him in the eye, "didn't expect to see you so soon. What are you in for?"

"Made a joke about Gary's hair…" His eyes quickly darted towards the two newbies beside me, "it didn't go down so well. Who are these two?"

I glanced behind me. The first brunette had returned to her hopeless mission of trying to get out, whilst May was looking Ash up and down. I couldn't blame her; his bright, clean attire definitely stood out amongst the dull surroundings.

"These are your new maids, May and…" I trailed off, hoping the girl would finally introduce herself.

"And who are you, exactly?" asked the brunette, completely ignoring me. She had finally given up on finding an exit and turned her attention towards the all of the commotion in the room's center.

I saw him open his mouth, but I cut him off before he could start, "This is Ash, the fourth and most kind of all the masters, not that there's much to compete with."

Ash shot me a cheesy grin. Thank god I had him, otherwise I would have lost my mind a long time ago.

"Hold on a second" May spoke up, staring at the new arrival in disbelief, "If your so high and mighty, why were thrown down here?"

"Oh, yeah, about that," He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Let's just say I'm not exactly on great terms with the rest of the family. It's complicated."

May did not push the matter further, although I could see in her eyes that she was unsatisfied.

There was a loud thump and the room's attention was once again drawn towards the stubborn brunette. She had finally given up on the door and was now walking up and down the room, occasionally pounding her fist into the stone wall.

"What are you doing now?" I asked, growing tired of her stupidity.

The girl shot me an annoyed look, as if I was disrupting her work. Yes, _I _was the disruptive one.

"Not that it's any of your business," She answered, placing her hand on her hip and tilting her head, "But I was looking for a secret passage."

"A secret passage!" I let out a hollow laugh in disbelief, "Do you hear yourself right now? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? I've been in this room for a lot longer than your horrific half hour, and let me tell you, there is no way out, especially not one that obvious!"

"Well, with the amount of brain cells you've lost scrubbing floors, I wouldn't be surprised if the obvious had slipped your mind," The girl, satisfied with her blow, offered me one last cocky smirk before spinning back around to the wall.

"Hey, listen you arogan-"

"Woah, let's just settle down everyone!" Ash decided to step in before anything got too ugly. Typical Ash.

I raised my eyebrows at him, expressing my need to respond to the irritating girl's remarks. I could tell from Ash's eyes that he understood my feelings, however he was slowly shaking his head. I couldn't blame him though. After all, with all the arguments that went on upstairs with his family, it was only natural for him to want some peace in his place of refuge.

There was a slight jingle of keys outside the door, before it slammed wide open and in barged two of the mansions guards, well known around the place for being horrifyingly cruel when the right moment emerged.

As the second guard came through the threshold, I noticed he was carrying a bundle of dirty, scrunched up sheets.

The first guard made eye-contact with the new girls.

"Put these on," he ordered, "These will serve as your uniform and your only attire. You are to get dressed immediately with no complaints, and then report to the main hall to begin your duties."

The second guard casually dropped the repulsive clothes to the ground, as though he spent the majority of his life treating others with no respect. Who was I kidding, he probably did just that.

I watched as May slowly reached out from her spot across from me and grabbed her dress. I observed as she cringed slightly at the uniform's vulgar appearance. Yep, it certainly was not pleasant.

I remembered we were currently in the presence of a self-absorbed brunette, and so turned my head in her direction. Unsurprisingly, the girl was standing against the wall, arms folded and staring off into the distance. I could not believe she was going to pull something so stupid at a time like this. Unfortunately for her, the stubborn behavior was eventually realized by the powerful men, who were far from happy at her uncooperativeness.

"Hey you, that was an order!" one of them shouted at her, anger and shock clouding his tone.

"I don't follow orders, especially when they're being screamed at me by a couple of ugly bastards!" She yelled back, copying his tone perfectly. I had to admit, this girl had guts.

"Why you little –" The first guard had placed his left hand on the end of his sword's casing. He had been about to pull it out as he charged at the disobedient fool, but was stopped in his tracks by the words of his partner.

"Stop! Don't you remember what we were told? All punishments go directly through one of the Masters!"

The now stationary guard dropped his hand back by his side as he realized his almost-mistake.

"Yes, that's right. Were low enough on maids as it is; we can't afford to lose any, no matter how much of an ungrateful bitch they are." The guard strode up to the brunette and grabbed her arm, yanking her out the door and away from us. She kicked out and struggled against his grip, but it was no use; he was not letting go. The remaining guard shot us all one last warning glare to show who was in charge, before slamming the large rock door behind himself.

I sighed to myself. That girl had it coming.

**LEAF POV**

The brute's callused hands clamped onto my forearm as he dragged me up the rocky steps, out of the maid's chamber and into a much larger room.

"The little brat refuses to wear her uniform, Master," The guard addressed a figure in front of him as he threw me to his feet.

"May I ask why you chose to bother me with this pathetic excuse for a girl during my relaxation time?" The figure responded, his voice cold enough to freeze the deepest ocean.

"Uh… s-sorry Master Drew, I just thought that-" the guard's rambling was cut short.

I slowly raised my head and squinted through my disheveled hair. A young man sat before me in a throne-like chair, his bright green hair standing out amongst his dreary attire. His left hand had been raised to silence the blabbering man before his and he had turned is attention down to my sprawled out body.

"Do you really dare to disobey an order?" His voice possessed a cruel humor, as though he would enjoy what was to come next.

I would not grovel. I was a proud girl and would stand up for myself, no matter what was done to me. Rather than taking this opportunity to plead my case and beg for freedom, I shriveled into defense mode.

"Yes, I really do. And that's not all, if you expect to see me on the ground with a bucket and sponge, you've got another thing coming."

My response was met by a jolting pain in my stomach as the guards boot shot out from behind me.

"You little skank, how _dare_ you talk that way to your master!" Master Drew pulled me up to his face by my collar, "Now you will behave and stay down with the dirt where you belo-"

His angry rampage was met with a mouthful of saliva as I spit at his words. The almighty lord was speechless, blinking numerously to try and calculate what exactly had just happened. After a few seconds, he slowly wiped the liquid from his eye and raised his hand, connecting it sharply with my cheek. The unexpected contact had hurt, but I would not show weakness, not now. Master Drew got his grip back on my collar and swiftly pulled my ear to his tightly pursed lips.

"Count yourself lucky we're running low on maids, bitch" He whispered menacingly before shoving me to the cold stone floor.

He nodded to the guard behind me, who had not moved since my physical discipline, and strode out of the room. I was then grabbed roughly by my hair and dragged down to the dungeon. The pressure on my scalp caused me to scream out in pain. I had tried to hold it in, but it was just too much. With no care for my safety, the man dragged me down a flight of jarring stone steps and threw me into a dark, vile cell. I lay on the wet ground and listened to the sound of the cell door slam, accompanied by the faint trudging as the guard's footsteps drifted away from my prison. Once I was certain of my solitude, I carefully wrapped my arms around my legs, dug my head into my knees, and sobbed myself to sleep.

**Well..? Love it? Hate it? Wanna Date it? Sorry, just needed it to rhyme.. **

**Anyway, I know there wasn't much on Misty and the rest of the guys haven't come in yet and stuffs a bit messed up right now, but just go with the flow and itll all come together. **

**Im basically trying to take it kinda slow and take my time with each chapter so they're all slightly good :) and also trying to make it not too obvious so you smarty cats dont go and guess all my twists and exciting bits :) Anyway, just stick around and all will be revealed in a matter of chapters :D**

**Also... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	3. We're All Miserable Now

**Everyone, I present you with...**

**CHAPTER THREE :D**

**yes, I know it has been a while, but I'm back now and doing my best to update whenever I can**

**Just a heads up for this story, I want you all to be very patient with me cause I'm trying to take it slow. This means that if something doesn't quite make sense, just wait a bit and it'll all come together in the end :)**

**Anyway, without further adue...**

* * *

**MAY POV**

"That girl doesn't know when to quit," Ash sadly shook his head.

I had been waiting for someone to break the silence left after that girl had been dragged away, but somehow his remark did not comfort me.

"Well, that's what you get for talking back," Dawn's gaze hadn't moved from the door since the guard's sudden departure, her eyes lost in thought.

I brought my knees to my chin and wrapped both arms around them. This was horrible. This place was horrible. This awful excuse for a uniform was horrible. I hated it all.

The last 24 hours had been a truly traumatizing experience and I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever be free. From where I was sitting, on a dirty stone floor, it sure didn't look that way.

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Dawn break away from her daze and turn to me.

"You need to get changed, before they come back."

I scoffed automatically. Right now dressing down into the old rag before me was the furthest thing from my mind. Nonetheless, I forced myself to my feet and took the tattered material in my hands. I was just about to begin my undressing before remembering I was not alone. I shot a glare at my two companions, indicating my discomfort. Almost instantly the two averted their gaze, trying to appear as though the cracks on the ceiling and walls were beyond fascinating to them.

I was thankful for their lack of subtlety and swiftly changed into the so called 'uniform'.

It fitted perfectly but I felt filthy wearing it. I just hoped this was the worst of the place.

Of course, I knew I'd be wrong.

* * *

**MISTY POV**

I could not stop admiring myself in the mirror. The dress was absolutely beautiful. The deep red color matched my personality to a tee, and I couldn't help but notice how good I looked. That was mainly due to the incredibly warm bath I just took to clean off all the dirt and bad memories from the previous night, and now I was finally starting to feel better.

I perched myself on the foot of the large bed, my mind retracing over what I had just been told less than an hour ago.

The old woman had introduced herself as 'The Grand Duchess Beatrice'. She explained how she had found me by the side of the road last night, drenched in rain and mud. She immediately took me in and brought me back to her estate, clothing me in dry garments and giving me a comfortable place to rest. And she did all of this out of the kindness of her own heart. I was touched and truly grateful, yet at the same time I couldn't help but wonder why. It wasn't her fault, it was my own trust issues. I rarely felt the warmth of genuine compassion, so it was only natural I'd be skeptical of her motives. I quickly pushed the feeling aside though, as I did not want to seem unappreciative.

My thoughts were soon halted in their tracks by a loud knock on the door.

"Come in?" I shouted, confused as to who it could possibly be.

The double doors leapt open to reveal three figures. Two were guards, only there to assist in the opening of the doors. The third figure, however, was unknown to me, yet as I watched him step over the threshold I felt my heart skip a beat.

* * *

**LEAF POV**

I examined my current surroundings. The stone walls were damp and layered in mold. The hard floor was sticky and if I stared close enough I could just make out the bloodstained patches covering it. The place offered a repulsive stench that sent my gag reflex into overdrive. I had to get out. Not just out of this dungeon, but out of this castle, and back to my family.

The thought of my sick mother and Silver all alone without anyone to take care of them sent me into a spiral of guilt. I imagined them sitting by the door, worriedly awaiting my return. There were so many questions I needed answered. Had Silver gone to look for me? Was he okay? Was Mom okay? Had they began to realize the unlikelihood of my return? I feared the worst. What if an overload of worry was making my mother even worse than usual? Would Silver be able to handle her care? I couldn't cope with these thoughts, I had to get out. I just had to.

* * *

**MISTY POV**

This guy was beyond charming. His natural good-looks and obvious confidence were emphasized with each movement, and his personality and good humor could not go unnoticed. He made me laugh and I was glad to be away from my horrible sisters and in his presence.

Moments after his arrival he had introduced himself as Rudy; the Duchess's grandson. I for one, could not see the family resemblance, as such a wrinkled old lady could not possibly be related to this handsome young man. Well, I guess that's ageing for you.

"You know, you're very beautiful," Rudy stared into my eyes, and I couldn't help but blush.

"Uh, thank you," I replied, unable to meet his gaze "You're so, uh, sweet."

"Yes, well, it comes with the charm," He winked suggestively.

I was beginning to get uncomfortable. I mean, I liked the guy and all, but he seemed to be going somewhere I had no interest in accompanying him to.

"Look, Rudy, I-"

"Shh," He cut me off, raising a finger to my lips "Let's not ruin the moment."

Okay, red alert. I had to get myself out, quick.

"You know, I have been searching for a wife for sometime now," He was staring intently at me and, despite my desire to do so, I could not break away from his gaze.

"Oh, that's, uh, nice…" I attempted to stand but he grabbed my wrist and yanked me back in my seat.

"Yes indeed. But, you see, I've had trouble finding the proper companion. You know, someone with the grace and beauty to handle this elegant lifestyle."

He was stroking my cheek now and I knew I was in trouble. How could someone seemingly so charming and kind turn into a complete creep in the blink of an eye. It just didn't add up.

"Um, Rudy, I have to tell you that you're making me quite uncomfortable," I thought the best way to go would be to tell him how I felt, so that he'd back off.

Unfortunately all I did was set him off.

"Listen girlie, quite frankly I don't really care how you feel. All I know is I've found something I want. And I _always_ get what I want."

Within a second he had grabbed me and pushed me onto the table, his body crushing mine as he forced himself on top of me. I tried to struggle from his grip but he overpowered me, holding me down with determination. I flailed my legs wildly, trying desperately to kick some place that hurt. But it was useless, and I was helpless. He lowered his head to mine until our lips met. Hungrily, he forced his tongue down my throat, enjoying each and every resistant struggle. Suddenly, an idea came to me and my teeth clenched down hard upon his wild tongue. Rudy's eyes widened and he screamed out in pain. He pushed himself off of me, pulling me up by the neck before throwing me to the floor. It hurt, but I was in no position to show pain.

Thankfully it was that moment that the Duchess chose to enter the room, her eyes full of worry.

"I heard screaming! What is going on!"

"Grand Mommy! Thank god you're here!" Rudy pointed down at me "This skank just threw herself at me! And when I tried to stop her she attacked me! She's no more than a filthy slut!"

"Is this true?" She turned to me, on her face a look of disbelief.

"What? No, I didn't –"

"Shut your mouth, whore!" the Duchess was quick to cut me off, obviously having decided that her precious grandson was the victim here "I offer you a roof over your head, I cloth you, I clean you and _this_ is how you repay me? By assaulting my son?"

"But I-" I tried desperately to get a word in, but she wouldn't hear it.

"Do not dare speak to me! I will see you get what you deserve!"  
This last remark scared me beyond belief as I began to imagine all the horrible fates these people would give to me. I took a quick glance over at Rudy to witness his reaction to my situation, only to find the bastard quietly grinning to himself, on his face a mix of amusement and pleasure.

* * *

**ASH POV**

The door swung open with a bang to reveal one of the more horrendous guards we had circulating the castle. I knew my time in the maid's quarters couldn't possibly be served yet, so I was quite curious as to why he was here.

"What is it, Patty-boy?" I teased. Big mistake.

The guard, preferably named Patrick, stormed over to me, raised his boot, and gave me a big ol' kick in the shin. I heard a gasp to my left. The new girl obviously wasn't used to our take on 'tough love'.

"Don't you even try to be funny, boy," The guard raised his index finger right in my face. This guy was all business.

"Fine, man, I'm ever so sorry," I layered on my most sarcastic tone, "But I was just curious as to why you've graced us with your heavenly presence."

I saw the boot fly up behind him and I soon felt the blow to my other shin. Painful, yet I wouldn't allow myself to fall.

"Listen you arrogant little twit," The man was spitting in my face now "I've been ordered you come and get you, so you'd better shut your trap and play nice, or you're in for a world of pain."

That insult was just pathetic, didn't even sting. Well, I guess that was my fault for having such high standards.

"Oh sure, go ahead, drag me away," I held out both hands for him to grab.

Patrick growled and was about to raise his boot for the third time before deciding against it. I guess he wanted me alive when he brought me to where I'd been summoned. How noble.

In a matter of seconds he had me by the collar and was dragging me out the door. I offered a small wave to both Dawn and May, so they knew I'd be fine. Not that they'd care; they had themselves to worry about.

I soon found myself thrown into one of the larger guest bedrooms. I wondered why I was here, almost as much as I wondered why the room was filled the guards and servants.

I soon found my answer as I scanned the room and found the Duchess, better known as my step-grandmother, standing over some poor girl whilst Rudy smirked in the corner. So this was his doing? I should've known, he was after all the most blatantly evil of my 3 step-brothers.

It was soon clear to me why I was here. They needed witnesses; one's who held no power and so were unable to object to the Duchess's cruelty.

My eyes suddenly travelled back to the terrified girl, now on her knees. She was staring at the floor, her blazing red hair spilling out over her hidden face. As she raised her head to meet the stare of the old witch before her, I couldn't help but gasp.

As the hair fell out of her face, I was able to fully witness her beauty. She was delicate, yet strong. Feminine, yet bold. Sweet, yet fiery. And something in me needed to protect her.

"Excuse me, Duchess?" I knew I would regret speaking out, I always did, but this time I just had to do something.

She stopped mid-sentence and turned to me slowly, the anger clear in her beady pupils.

"What is it, boy?" I winced at her tone. She never addressed me pleasantly, but this was a whole new level of pissed.

"It's just that," I took a step forward to separate myself from the quietly observant crowd "I don't think we should be so quick to choose her fate."

I was doing my best to sound mature, but somehow I think I just came off as nervous.

"What?" The Duchess was close to yelling now. I knew I should've kept quiet.

"I just think that her life would be better served in the maid's quarters," I was finally starting to make my point. I just hoped my punishment wouldn't be too severe "You know, since were kind of low on staff?"

She turned her withered body towards her guards.

"That little nuisance has talked back for the last time. Throw him in the dungeon," She ordered, failing to suppress her rage.

I sighed. Although I valued my time with the maids, I always found myself less willing to carry out a punishment in the dank, rotten old prison. Nevertheless, it was far better than being in the company of these snobby assholes. I succumbed to the order and allowed my body to be dragged away by two buffed-up brutes. As I was dragged out of the room and to my current sentence, I was able to catch a glimpse of the red-haired beauty. She just stared at me, her eyes wide and frightened. I pitied the poor girl, I'd hate to be in her position and I couldn't imagine how she'd be feeling. Oh well, I'd done all I could. I just hoped these people would realize the logic behind my suggestion, and maybe her life would be spared.

* * *

**So...? How was it? PLEASE REVIEW SO I KNOW :D**

**Also, i know some people are wondering where Paul is, but just let me assure you that HE IS COMING. **

**BE PATIENT!**

**night night! seeyou soon, promise!**


	4. It Can Only Get Worse

**I'M BAAAAACK!**

**ENJOY CHAPTER FOUR, YOU'VE EARNED IT!**

* * *

**MISTY POV**

"However, that boy does make some sense," The Duchess was right back on track, not faltered by the sudden banishment of the boy.

"What are you talking about, Grand mommy? She assaulted me!" Rudy was quick to voice his objections. What an asshole.

"Oh darling, what I mean is that we could use another maid more than we could use another decapitation," The old hag couldn't help the smirk forming on her withered lips as she emphasized the last word.

I wanted to scream, yell, whimper; just make some noise to let myself know I was still there, still breathing. But no sound would come. My fear had left me paralyzed.

Yes, I was scared. Scared that I had so much more to experience from life, yet may just be about to have it all snatched from my grasp by a couple of psychopathic lunatics.

Ultimately, it all came down to one thing: I should never have run away. If I had just stayed put and toughed it out, I'd never have gotten wrapped up in all this insanity. But it was too late for that, and there was only one question yet to be answered. What would happen to me now?

* * *

**LEAF POV**

The boy had been thrown into the darkness with me about 15 minutes ago. He lingered on the cold stones as the door was slammed behind him. As the hideous sniggering of the guards faded into stillness he slowly pushed his body off the ground. He crawled over to the nearby wall and propped his body up against it before stretching out his legs and tilting up his head. In the dim light of the single lit torch we were 'blessed' with I could just make out the expression on his scratched up features. He looked miserable, yet not for himself. I could see it in his eyes; his sorrow was directed towards something else. But what, I didn't know.

There was nothing to be said; no words to be shared between the two of us. It might even have been classified as awkward, yet neither of us cared whether or not the other noticed. We were just too busy taking pity on ourselves to realize the other might be able to relate. He knew I was there, yet he seemed to understand that forcing conversation would not win him any points in my book. Still, I felt the need to speak with him. After all, if anyone could help me out, he was probably the guy.

I gathered up all the energy I could master in an attempt to create a tone that was slightly sympathetic, rather than utterly irritable.

"So, how'd you manage to get thrown down here with me, then?" I stared straight ahead; I didn't want there to be any eye contact.

"Just the usual, said something it wasn't my place to say."

"That wasn't too smart," I don't know why, but I found his self-assuredness annoying.

"Yeah right, like you can talk." The boy was quick to retaliate.

I shot him a hostile look, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ash adjusted his position against the wall, apparently settling in for the long night ahead.

"All I'm saying is that you should be careful. The way you're behaving, you're never gonna last in this place."

I scoffed at this. "Oh yeah, and what exactly will happen if I'm not?"

"Listen, you ever wondered why there are so few servants around here?" Ash took my silence as a sign to continue, "A few weeks ago, they all joined together in a strike. Everyone refused to work. They told their masters that if they ever wanted to see a clean house again, they would have to start treating them like human beings. You know what happened then?"

I gave him a slight shake of my head, reluctantly eager to hear more.

"They were 'disposed' of." The grim expression on his face was as clearer than air.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what you think it means." We stared at each other in silence, neither one of us wanting to acknowledge the horrendousness of this fact. Eventually the tension became too much to bear, and I found my lips moving involuntarily.

"You can't be serious." The sound was croaky and uneven, but it was my voice, although not like I had ever heard it before.

"It's true. They decided not to behave, my brothers decided to exterminate them," Ash's eyes broke away from mine and settled on the concrete in front of him as he drew up his knees and hugged them loosely with his muscular arms. A subtle move, but not enough so that I didn't catch the single tear trail down his pained features. "See, that's how it is here. Everyone is exposable. You step out of line again and no one will hesitate to replace you with someone more willing to follow orders. Today was an exception. They need you right now, and can't afford to get rid of you. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

I let his words sink in before I replied; I needed to be sure of my decision. But the moments passed and my mind did not alter. There was only one course of action I could take.  
"I won't be their slave."

"Unfortunately, you don't have the luxury of choice. You're here, and that's not going to change." He paused, before deciding to continue, "Those girls that arrived with you? If I were you, I'd be a little nicer. You'll need every friend you can get if you're intending on surviving."

"Listen, I know you're trying to be helpful, but I don't plan on staying, I need to get back to my family." I could feel myself slipping away, desperation becoming my persona. I hated feeling so helpless.

Ash sighed, frustration clearly getting the better of him. "You don't get it, do you? You're not getting out, and those girls suffering along with you? Well, they're the closest thing to family you've got."

This time his words hit, and hit hard.

* * *

**MAY POV**

This was not a life worth living. On hands and knees, bent over a rusty bucket, entire body aching. My first working day and already I could feel myself losing all sense of my identity. How could I see myself as anything better than dirt when I was forced to reside in it every minute of the day? And to make matters worse, the filthy floor beneath me was no cleaner than it was half an hour ago, when I began this wretched task.

I leaned back on my knees and wiped my face dry. No use crying, it wouldn't help the situation. I couldn't afford to be weak anymore.

I felt his presence moments before the shadow was cast over me, darkening the space around me. I didn't know what was coming, but I doubted being acknowledged by any of these people could ever be a good thing. Reluctantly, I slowly craned my stiff neck skyward to stare down the object of my doom.

The perfectly styled green hair atop his head was striking, but it was his expression that truly caught my attention. His face was blank, though his eyes menacing. I could feel his repulsion raining down at my hunched figure. I waited for words, movement, anything, but not one muscle in his body suggested motion. Then, after what felt like a lifetime, he lifted his foot, and extended it outwards.

My attention suddenly became preoccupied with the cold, soapy mess that had flooded around my body, soaking the bottom half of my uniform. The metal bucket rolled on its side by my feet, now empty of its liquid contents. I desperately searched the room for a witness to the unprovoked act, but of course found no such thing.

I swung my body back around, preying my pitiful reaction had aroused some sort of regret in the boy, yet only found his shrinking figure as he journeyed further and further away from the mess that was me.

As he strode away, I allowed one final tear to stain my dirty face. One final self-pitiful thought to cross my mind. From now on I would be a solid, emotionless being. I would survive purely through my hatred of the heartless bastards that gained pleasure from my misery. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing my pain, of sensing my suffering. I would be a rock. A stone, cold object that yielded to no one, crumbled for no one. Dying inside, but with an indestructible exterior. The girl made of stone. And nothing would break through.

* * *

**DAWN POV**

I couldn't believe it. Another one. This was the third in two days. At this rate the mansion would be bustling with staff before the week's end.

This girl, like the other two, was young and distraught. Her beauty was masked by pain, yet I could sense its firm presence. The majority of her face eluded my gaze due to a brilliant shock of fiery hair, yet her emerald eyes shone bright.

I pulled my eyes away, not wanting to cause her any more discomfort.

Glancing over to my side, I saw the brunette remained deadly still, almost ghostlike in appearance.

May had come back quite late from her first duty, looking a wreck in her wet garment and miserable features. When I had asked about it, she merely grunted and wandered over to the corner where she slumped down in agony. I had not heard a peep out of her since.

Less than a day, and already at breaking point.

I didn't blame them, of course. I knew exactly how they felt. To be torn away from everything you knew and thrown into a life of back-breaking labor and psychological torture, it was worse than death. At least in death you found peace.

Death. I had thought about it many times before. How easy it would be to escape this forsaken place. So many options, all of which would end in release. No more pain and no more hate; only relief. I could never go through with it, of course. It would mean nothing to these people, only another body to ditch and another mess to have cleaned up. No, it couldn't be like that. If I was going to leave, it would be with a bang.

"I'm Misty, by the way."

Her powerful voice broke me from my dark thoughts and pulled me into reality. I hadn't noticed her movement, yet there she was; in full uniform and propped up on her knees, staring expectantly at me. Her red hair had been swept out of her face and now flowed neatly down her back. It wasn't much of an improvement, but with her face in full view I saw her properly for the first time. And I could tell she was strong. With any luck, she wouldn't let this place break her.

She was still waiting.

"I'm Dawn," I replied, before gesturing over to the statue in the corner, "and that's May. She just got here, too."

Misty nodded in understanding, her head slowly turning as she examined the damp room.

"So, is this all of us?"

I knew what was coming; she wanted to know why there were so few. But I still found myself unable to acknowledge the events of that horrible day. It still seemed like no more than a ghastly nightmare.

"Almost," I began, "Another girl arrived yesterday."

Misty took a second look around, "And where is she, now?"

I found my mind replaying the scenario, and I watched once again as the feisty girl was dragged away, never ceasing to struggle.

"Dungeon," The sound was barely audible, but the pair of hard blue eyes fixated in Misty's direction confirmed May's answer.

"Oh…"

It wasn't a pleasant thought, imagining her all alone in a rotting world, barely able to see her fingers when waved in front of her face. The girl would crack soon, with an attitude like hers. The masters didn't appreciate spark.

"So, how'd you guys end up here?" Misty asked, completely unaware of the depth to her question. It wasn't something that could just be stated. Answering would mean digging up long buried feelings; feelings that could only reveal weaknesses.

No one answered. I didn't want to. It still stung, even just thinking about it. I just couldn't.

But, surprisingly, May could.

Her voice had gained confidence, as she now spoke clear and with stability.

"My father, he was in debt. Not one of us knew anything about it, not even my mother. It was such a shock when the men came to collect," She paused for a moment, obviously remembering the event, remembering the hurt.

She found her voice and continued. "I couldn't let them take him, my family needed him to provide for them. So I did the only thing I could think of. I came in his place."

I found myself respecting her for this. The girl had sacrificed her own life for her family, and that showed a tremendous amount of courage.

"That was very brave of you," stated Misty, sharing my feelings.

May didn't respond, instead veering the conversation towards the redhead, "What about you?"

"Ahh," Misty rocked her body back and forth, "that's an interesting story, actually. Basically, I got fed up with being treated like a slave by my sisters, so I ran away. But I got in some trouble and was taken in by the old hag who owns this place. But then I ran into some asshole and, well, here I am."

I finally spoke up, "Well, at least you escaped slavery".

I think she may actually have laughed at the irony of this, but I was no longer paying attention. My depressing state of mind had yanked me from reality, and I was lost in thought.

Betrayal. It had led all of us here, in one way or another. May's father betraying his family by losing their money and trading in his daughter, Misty's sisters betraying their duties to protect her, and my best friend betraying our friendship and leaving me here to rot. We had all experienced the deepest cruelty betrayal had to offer, and now look at us. No better than the stone against which we leaned and emptied our hearts of our sorrow.

* * *

**So? **

**Again, I'm so superr sorry for always updating and then disappearing forever, then coming back etc..**

**BUT, I'm finding it quite hard to find time to writee, naww :(  
BUT, the other day I was reading through comments, and felt real guilty for not updating ever, so I through this together just for you guys :)**

**AND SO, the moral of the story:**

**COMMENT AND I WILL UPDATE!**

**SEE YOU NEXT TIME (whenever that may be...)**


	5. United As One

**What's that? Is that an update I see? I think it is :D HOORAAAY!**

**That's right everybody, I HAVE UPDATED ONCE AGAIN!**

**AAAAAnd, I plan to do so more often :D **

**Of course, that may not work out as well as I'd like to hope, but promise I'll try my best!**

**Anyway, this chapter is rather exciting (at least I like to think so), and I've even included a little surprise to say sorry for the lack of updates**

**SO ENJOY AND REVIEW!**

* * *

**LEAF POV**

I had been sitting in the dark for hours now. Time had been dragging to the point where I was almost certain it had stopped completely, and I was beginning to grow weary of my inability to see.  
I looked to my right for the umpteenth time, finding nothing but the silhouetted body of a boy lost in a peaceful and undisturbed slumber.

How could he sleep so easily in such a horrible place? It wasn't fair.

Caught in a fit of jealously, I whipped my head away from his sprawled out body and slammed it against the stone wall behind me. It hurt, but I couldn't focus on the pain. My mind had already wandered away from me to the one possibility I couldn't bear to consider. Maybe Ash was right.

After all, he did have a good point. Maybe I should befriend my fellow captives. Maybe I should submit to my new job description. Maybe I should accept my new fate. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Nothing was certain anymore. It was driving me insane.

But Ash's point was valid nonetheless, and I couldn't ignore it, no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't survive this place on my own. I needed allies, someone to have my back, to protect me should I need it. I needed someone on my side.

I had made a horrible first impression, but it was reversible. They must have understood what I was going through. After all, we had all gone through the same thing. I had just revealed my pain in a different, more aggressive way. It was simple. I just had to swallow my pride and ask for a second chance. They would understand. They had to understand. I needed them. Without those girls by my side, I had no chance in hell of survival.

* * *

**MISTY POV**

There was another girl. She must have gotten herself into some sort of trouble because when she entered our tiny room she looked miserable. I mean, we were all pretty miserable, but in her case it was extreme. Almost deathly.

It had been a rough night. The so-called 'beds' were nothing more than a few thin sheets of cotton that had been crudely sewn together, and so constantly moved about. Pillows were not provided and so I found myself fashioning my own by scrunching up the moldy apron from my newly recycled uniform. The smell was horrible, but at least my head had some support. As for something to cover my body, all we were given was a large potato sack which we could crawl into like a sleeping bag. Needless to say, the sack didn't provide much warmth. I thought I would die from hypothermia. I didn't complain though; it wouldn't have helped.

From her condition, I could see that the other girl had spent the night in far worse conditions. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot, and her lips were chapped and stiff. She was covered in dirt and I spotted a few cobwebs hanging from the hem of her skirt. She sat quietly in the corner, legs crossed and head bent towards her lap, where she played with her fingers. Suddenly, as if sensing my gaze, her head snapped up.

"What?" she asked accusingly.

"Oh, I – uh… nothing," I mumbled, not knowing how to respond.

The girl let out a large sigh, before settling into the wall behind her. She spent a few moments staring into space, before coming back to reality and staring directly into my eyes.

"Look, I didn't mean to snap at you," her voice was sturdy, despite her broken appearance.

I gave her a weak smile and glanced around the room. Sure enough, the eyes of both May and Dawn were glued to the brunette. This must have been some kind of breakthrough.

"Don't worry about it." I replied warmly, "After all, we're in a pretty horrible situation."  
A small smile graced her tired lips, as though she were grateful of my response.

"I'm Misty, by the way."

The girl hesitated, her sapphire eyes drawn to the ground in front of her. I could feel the two girls watching us lean forward in anticipation.

Finally, she spoke.

"Leaf." her gaze did not shift from the stone surrounding her, "My name is Leaf."

"Well," Dawn spoke up, "that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Leaf began to retaliate, before reconsidering and sinking back down into the wall.

"I know… I'm sorry."

Surprisingly, it was May who was first to respond. "It's okay." She nodded in Leaf's direction, "I know what you're going through."

"Exactly."

Before anyone could blink, Leaf was up on her feet and striding over to the head of the room.

"Listen, I have a proposal."

She looked expectantly at all of us, although no one knew quite what to say. A proposal? What did she mean?

"And just what kind of proposal would that be?" Dawn asked sarcastically. The tension between the two was as thick as smoke.  
"Cut the attitude, okay? I'm trying to be nice, here." Leaf was trying desperately to take the high road, but I could tell she would snap if pushed any further. I shot Dawn a look of warning. I wanted to hear Leaf talk.

"Right, sorry. Continue." Thankfully, Dawn recognized my annoyance and yielded to the brunette before her.

"As I was saying," Leaf continued, unfazed, "I have a proposal. I propose an alliance."  
"A what?" I questioned.

"An alliance." Leaf repeated slightly louder, as though I was deaf.

"Yeah, I got that," I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes, "but what exactly does that mean?"

"It means that the four of us stick together. You know, watch each other's backs?" Leaf's confidence was inspiring. I didn't understand how she could look so downtrodden, yet have so much spark.  
"How would that help?" asked May, joining the conversation once again.  
"Well, for starters it would keep us alive."

Her reply was light and indifferent, yet her words left a stain on our ever-ceasing innocence.

"W-what do you mean?" May's eyes looked uneasily around the room, seeking out the knowledge kept from her grasp.

This reaction surprised Leaf, and she turned towards Dawn, features overcome with judgment.

"You didn't tell them." It wasn't a question.

"No, not yet." Dawn's guilt was clear, and its presence did nothing but send me down a spiral of panic.

"Tell us what?" I asked, my voice desperate. What were they keeping from me? I needed to know. Apparently, my life was on the line.

Leaf was the one to answer, although her gaze did not shift from Dawn's.

"The previous maids here held a rally a few weeks ago in an attempt to get better treatment as staff, but the bastards running this place killed them for being 'disrespectful'." Leaf spat out the last word, her voice full of disgust.

But I was speechless.

'What… did you… just say?" May pushed herself onto her feet and cautiously walked forward.

Dawn sighed, accepting her fate as the bad-news-bringer. She too began to stand and walk towards the rest of us.

"It's true. They're dead. Every single one of them," She had pain in her eyes, but she masked it well.

"Oh my god," It was all I could say.

"B-but what does that mean for us? If we mess up…" May couldn't bring herself to finish, the horror was overbearing.

"But we won't mess up."

Everyone's heads swerved towards Leaf, now with both hands on her hips as she stared us all down.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten my proposal?"

The alliance, right. Such a simple idea, but could it really protect us? We're we really stronger united than we were alone? We weren't exactly the best of friends, but did that even matter? This was not an emotional bargain; it was simply business. One captive watching out for another. It could be the difference between life and death in here. And, at the end of the day, what did we have to loose?

* * *

**LEAF POV**

My plan was a huge success. I had convinced the girls to join with me in the battle against our ever-lingering fate. Misty had jumped on board straight away, and May had soon followed. Dawn had been a little more reluctant, but peer pressure had proved persuasive enough, and she was soon on our side.

The four of us were now united, and I found myself relax a little at the thought of no longer being alone in this struggle. It was as though a huge weight had been lifted.

But now I had to work. And work was hard. Of course, I was used to cleaning for my family, but not like this. This was back-breaking torture.

I was in the middle of scrubbing wildly, trying to remove a permanent stain from the 3rd step of the grand staircase, when I heard it.

The scream was piercing, and it sounded oddly familiar.

Without a second's thought, I had dropped my sponge and sprinted in the direction of the bone-chilling sound. I found myself face-to-face with a heavy wooden door and shoved it open with all my might.

What I found was petrifying.

Misty sat in the corner of the room, her knees drawn up towards her chest and her hands clutching at her head. Her expression was one of absolute distress and she seemed to be rocking herself slightly back and forth, as though she was trying to produce a dreamland free of the horror that surrounded her.

But all of these things I noticed later. Because what had originally caught my eye the moment the door had swung open was the blood. There was so much blood. And Misty was covered in it.

"_Oh my god_!" It was only phrase in my vocabulary that I could relate to the moment. But, even so, it did not seem appropriate, "What the _hell_ happened!"

Misty's hands drew away from her now deep red hair and lingered before her cerulean eyes "H-help me…"

"Shit, hang on" I scurried across the room and fell down next to her, landing directly in the large pool of blood that dominated the area. I didn't care, though. It wasn't my job to be fragile.

Misty looked up at me. I could see the gratitude in her eyes, but more than anything I noticed the slight green tinge creeping into her cheeks. I knew what would come next.

I grabbed the bucket lying next to her and shoved it into her bloody fingers. Misty thrust her head inside and I tried to remain composed as the nauseating smell wafted into the air. Gently, I reached out and patted her back in a reassuring manner.

"Calm down, Misty. It'll be okay."

When she finished throwing up, Misty chucked the bucket aside and turned to me.

"I-I don't know what happened" She explained, her manner slowly descending into desperation, "I just walked in and… the bucket…blood…" Her eyes began to glaze over as she recalled the traumatic moment.

"It's okay, I get the picture" I didn't want her to force the memory. It was better off forgotten.

With one final comforting pat, I pushed myself off the ground and began to survey the room. It didn't take me long to locate the problem. Above the door Misty had come through dangled a bundle of broken string. I connected the dots instantaneously and deducted the cause of the blood shower. Kneeling down behind Misty's crumpled form I discovered yet another loose bit of string. Disgusted, I took it in my hand and crushed it in my fist.

"Pathetic."

I spat out the words, startling Misty who was yanked out from her thoughts.

"W-what is it?" She stuttered.

"This was some kind of sick prank. You've must've triggered it when you opened the door." I did not understand what kind of despicable bastard could do something so… repulsive. The very idea was enough to make me gag.

"Leaf, I need to get clean," I turned my attention towards the bloodstained girl before me, who had surprisingly managed to pull herself together, "I can't stay like this."

She looked at me pleadingly, and I knew I had to help.

"I know, give me a second to think."

We couldn't stay here, someone would find us and we'd be in trouble for sure. How much trouble, I didn't know, but I couldn't risk it. We were allies now, and I had to help her out. But if anyone saw us, we were screwed. That meant we couldn't use the kitchen sink, or any of the bathrooms. Not only were they in authority territory, but I had absolutely no idea where they were. And we couldn't waste time scrambling about the mansion, especially with Misty being the wreck she was.

_Think, Leaf. Think._

There had to be a solution. There just had to be.

Then I remembered. My mind had automatically taken me back to my arrival. It had been late, but the night was clear and I recalled seeing the eerily beautiful light of the moon as it reflected off the stillness of the lake.

_The lake_. So simple. We just had to get outside and everything would be fine. We just had to get outside.

* * *

**GARY POV**

I was constantly amazing myself. I mean, how was it possible for just one guy to be so remarkably and overwhelmingly great. It was a mystery.

Each prank I pulled was greater than the last, and my latest one was no exception.

The girl was a complete wreck. She had an impressive scream, but she really strove for perfection when she fell to her knees and rocked herself out of insanity. A true performer: the best kind of victim.

I was currently hidden behind the door to the next room, sitting against its sturdy wood and silently laughing my ass off. There really was nothing quite like a bucket of sheep's blood to properly welcome new staff. My own blood was boiling as I replayed the entire thing in my head. The door opening. The string snapping. The bucket falling. The girl screaming. It was like an art form in itself.

But the best part was yet to come. No, the best part I would be able to enjoy for weeks. After all, the girl would be forced to remain in her uniform, covered in the constant reminder that she was worthless to us. That she meant nothing.

Of course, eventually the smell would get unbearable and we would be forced to issue her another rag to wear, but I could enjoy her pain while it lasted.

Just as I was beginning to compose myself, I heard a door swing open and slam against the old stone walls, followed by a terror-stricken gasp. Someone had found her.

"_Oh my god_!"

I got on my knees and peered around the door to see who it was.

"What the _hell _happened!"

Another maid. Excellent. Now I could traumatize two birds with one stone.

"H-help me…" The bloody mess of a girl was a statue, unable to make eye contact. Hilarious.

"Shit, hang on" The new maid rushed over to her, unsure of what to do. I took this time to observe her, scanning for any weaknesses I could abuse.

What I saw was…interesting.

She didn't cower from the blood, a quality I had rarely found in my other victims. Neither did she cringe when the redhead emptied the contents of her stomach in front of her. On top of that, she was very intuitive. In fact, within an instant of studying the room, she had gained a full understanding as to what had happened.

I watched as she clenched the snapped piece of string in her grimy hand.

"Pathetic."

She really shouldn't have said that. Because it pissed me off.

How dare she. How dare that filthy bitch disrespect me like that. Had she _seen_ herself? Had she _seen_ how disgusting she was? The girl with the dirt-stained face and rotten attire had the nerve to call _me _pathetic! _She _wasthe pathetic one! Oh, she would pay for that. I would make her pay. I would show her just how sick I could be. And I would make her crumble.

As I heard the sound of their departure, I stole one last glance at my next target. As I caught sight of her full profile, I smirked to myself. Turning my body away from the pair, I leaned back against the door and whispered under my breath.

"Pretty girls scream the loudest."

* * *

**WAS THAT A NEW CHARACTER? I THINK IT WAS! AND AN AWESOME CHARACTER TOO :D**

**Anyway, I've already got half the next chapter planned, but I'm planning to update my other two stories before I get back to this one, so if you have time you should check them out :)**

**Also, just a reminder to PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE review, because honestly without the reviews I've been getting, I probably would've cancelled this story a long time ago. BUT I'LL KEEP AT IT IF YOU KEEP MOTIVATING ME! Deal? Deal. **

**UNTIL NEXT TIME... Farewell :)**


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